Navarro Soccer ranked No. 9 in USC 2017 Preseason Poll

Coach Alicia Wilson’s Navarro Bulldog soccer team earned the No. 9 ranking in The United Soccer Coaches 2017 Preseason Junior College Division I Women’s Poll released on Thursday, Aug. 3.

The Bulldogs (13-5 Region XIV Finalists in 2016) will open their 2017 regular season on Saturday, Aug. 26 against the USC’s Preseason No. 7 ranked Iowa Western Reivers at Pat Hartley Field in Tyler. One week later on Friday, Sept. 1, the Bulldogs will Preseason No. 5 Butler at the same venue.

Neither the preseason ranking surprises the Bulldogs, nor the fact that IWCC and Butler — perhaps their two biggest NJCAA national powerhouse rivals outside Region XIV — are also included in the mix for 2017. The Bulldogs’ chief rival in Region XIV, Tyler, is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll.

Navarro scrimmages Brookhaven here Saturday, Aug. 12, and also at Commerce against Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday, Aug., 17 as it prepares for the season opener.